Our wood turning club met today, normally we meet on the first Sunday of the month but it was pushed back a week for the holiday. A few of us do breakfast on meeting days and the club president messaged me he was going to be late as he'd had a little accident. His "little" accident was with his table saw. He ripped a piece of 3X3X18" maple, turned the saw off and then picked up the board. It slipped out of his hand and fell into the still spinning blade, the blade kicked it back into his face. Even though he was wearing a face shield it hit him just under his right eye. The force of it destroyed his shield and he has a very nasty looking contusion on his face. He will definitely have a bad black eye and lots of swelling. If he hadn't had a face shield I believe it would have been much more serious and maybe even fatal.

I urged him to go to the doctor as it's very close to his eye socket but I don't believe he did or will. This is a woodworker with many many years of experience wearing safety gear although I don't believe he had his guard in place. Fellows, it can happen in an instant, use your guards, wear your safety gear and stay out of the line of fire.

 

Steve

Thanks for the reminder, Steve.

So sorry to hear about that Steve, and thanks for the reminder, too bad the reminder had to be at the cost of someones misfortune, but it is a wake up call.

Hope he will be good to go soon.  It happens in an instant.  Had that happen to me but was very lucky with no ills from it.

Yes, it can happen oh so fast. Thanks for the reminder

Thanks Steve for the reminder to all of us. Glad his injury was not more serious than it was and he'll be able to resume normally. With an impact of that nature, he really should be checked for a possible concussion. Hopefully someone will wake him up a couple of times through the night if he didn't seek medical treatment. 

As soon as I turn off my saw I lower he blade and try to "beat" the blade stopping. this assures me that I wont reach into the spinning

blade